Collapsible. top



Feb.

A. V. ET AL coLLAPsIBLE TOP Filed July 1e, 1924 2 ShePts-Sheet l Feb. 23 1926. 1,573,877

A. v. SMITH ET AL COLLAPSIBLE TOP Filed July 16 1924 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 TmRNET'.

Patented Feb. Z3, lfti.

UNETED STATES PATENT BHE.

ARTHUR VINCENT SMITH AND FREDERICK GEORGE WILLIAM DUPREE, OF COVENTRY,

ENGLAND.

COLLAPSIBLE. TOP.

Application filed July 16, 1924. Serial No. 726,366.

T0 all fui/'rom i may concern:

Be it known that we, ARTHUR VINCENT SMITH, Va subject of the King of England, residing at Coventry, in the county of llVarwick, England, and FREDERICK Gnonen lILLIAM Durnnn, a subject of the King of England, residing at Coventry, in the county of llarwick, England, have invented certain new and useful Improvements in Collapsible Tops, of which the following is a specilication.

This invention relates to cape hoods for use on motor vehicles and the like, of the kind which can be operated single handed. The object of the invention is to provide a simple construction which is easy to raise and lower and in which the use oit' webbing or the like is not necessary.

Usually this type of hood comprises a single main pillar or stick on each side, to which are pivoted various links carrying the extension and various bows, and the extension and vbows are connected together by webbing which limits the opening of the ,hood and serves as a stop to the forward movement of the main pillars. This webbing is liable to stretch, when the original outline of the hood becomes altered or lost, the hood material sags and becomes unsightly, and the mechanism becomes loose and liable to rattle.

In some cases, however, the main pillar or stick is duplicated at each side and the front bow is connected by a link or lever pivoted to both parts of the duplicated pillar and a spring is provided which tends to assist the opening of the hood.

According` to this invention, each main pillar is duplicated, and the parts thereof are adapted to bear against one another when the hood is fully raised and extended, so as to form an etcient stop. The links are all inter-connected with one another and the two pillar members so that they all move in unison, and preferably any two suitable members of the link system are connected together by a tension spring which is fully ext-ended when the hood is lowered. Thus, this tension spring assists raising and extending of the hood throughout the whole movement.

rhe manner of carrying out the invention is illustrated m the accompanying drawlags 1n which Figure l is a side elevation showing iorm of hood fully extended,

Figure 2 is a similar view showing the same hood partly lowered, and

Figure 3 is a similar view showing a modified construction particularly applicable to short bodies.

Like letters indicate like parts throughout the drawings.

v At each side of the hood is supported by a duplicated main pillar comprising the two members A and B which are pivoled to a bracket C on the body, the two pivots l and Q being one above the other, as shown. lVith this arrangement, when the hood is lowered, the duplicated pillar members Ji and B lie horizontally above one another. lf desired they may then bear against one another ior part or the whole of their length so as to limit the downward movei ment of the hood and cause the usual hood rests to be dispensed with. Then the hood is raised the two pillar members A and l bear against one another and the completo pillar cannot more beyond the desired position, which in this ease is a vertical one. The pillar members A and E are shown as bearing against one another throughout their whole length, but this is clearly not essential as the pillar members may be spaced and touch one another at points only, but the arrangement illustrated is preferred.

The front bow D is pivoted to a link E hinged at B2 to the pillar member B and at ,A2 to the pillar member A, and it will be clear that movement oi the pillar members A. and B from the horizontal to the vertical position causes the front bow D to be eX- tended, and the reverse movement :auses it to be collapsed towards the pillar members.

There is an intermediate bow l." coupled by a link lll to the iront bow and pivoted to the link E. This also has pivoted to it a lever (i piroted at it to the pillar member B, which is extended across the hood at l to torni a bow. The rear end o2 the lever (i is coupled by a` link H to the rear bow J which is pivoted at E" to the pillar member B and serves in the usual manner to support the rear corner of the hood.

There are thus four bows transverse to the hood, D2, F2, B3 and J2, and all these bows are connected together, and to the various ODG links and levers described, in such a manner sisted Aby the employment of a. balancing@` spring' of any w ll known type. Preferably, however, the spring is of the tension typo shown at l, and it connects together lany two suitable links or members ot the hood,

.being fully extended when the lhood is almost in its lowest posi-tion, further movenent into the extreme lowest position causing` the spring,` to contract very slightly, so that the spring' has a slight tendency to hold 'the hood down. As the hood is raised the spring contracts and assistsin the movement trom the start to the iinish. The operation ot opening is therefore a ver); easy one.

Y As will be seen, it is necessary to provide a second stop between Vthe point D and the under side ot' the link l?, but the main stop is effected between the pillar ymembers Aand B.

ltis not essential that the pillar members A and B should lbe actually vertical, but with this arrangement, and by ,providing the under side 'of the members l) and 'E with straight edges, there is left a vrectai-igular space between the under side of the hood and the body which lends itself very eithciently ior the fitting' of windows and side 'nrtai 1.

T some cases it is desired that the pillar l slope backwards as is shown in .Fig-

ich a case the pillar members are that they bear againstone ancoinplete pillar is in the reln this case the extension in lFigures l and 2 but it forms no part of the present invention. It will be noticed, however, that the points l and 2, 3 and 4, in both constructions form the corners of a parallelogram. v

By ythis means a very simple hood which Vcan be operated single handed is provided, wherein webbing can be dispensed with and an eliicie-nt stop is provided which remains permanent, overcomingthe disadvantages of using` the webbing as this stop.

The complete hood mechanism opens and closes in unison and lthe spring assists the movementfrom the start to the finish of th opening.

hat we claim as ourinvention and desire to secure by Letters "Patent ot' the "United `tates is :d f

il. Vlira hood tor 'a vehicle, the combination oft a pillar pivoted at ifts'lower '.end, linkiwjrt 'Seflnnstbe heed framework@meer ed with said pillar, and a second pillar' con nected with the aforesaid 'framework adapted to "have its edge lie tlataga-inst theedge ot the llirst mentioned pillar when the hood is fully erected, thereby to 'orm a stop, substantially as set forth.

2. in a hood for a vehicle, the combination of a pillar hinged at its lower end, hinged linkwork forming;` the framework of the hood connected 'to said pillar, and a second pillar connected with the aforesaid hood framework adapted to have its odge lie 'ilat against .the edge ofthe firstinentioned pillar 'when'the hood is fully erectedand also when the hood yis lowered, thereby to form a stop Ain each cach case, substantially as set forth.

' In a yhood for vehicles the combination with a vehicle body of a pillar hinged at its llower end 'to said body, `a second pillar hinged 'to said body in advance of Ysaid tirst named pillar at la `higher `e'lewation and so closely adjacent thereto that the adjacent edges oi the pillars abut .n'fhenthe hood is raised.

il. In a hood for vehicles the combination with 'a vehicle body of a pillar hinged at Aits lower end to said body, a second pillar hingedv to said body in advance of said flirst named pillar at a highere-levation and -so ciosely yadjacent nthereto Ythat the adjacent 'edges of the pillars `abut vwhen the hood 'is raised, theheight of the 'said second hinge above the first being 'substantially equal to the combined widths of the two pil-lars whereby their Aside edges labut when "the lhood is lowered.

ln a hood ttor vehicles, the 'combi-nation with a vehicle body lor a pillar hinged to said body, a bow carried by lthe upper end of said pillar, la second pillar hinged to said body 4in advance of said first named pillar and closely adjacent thereto, but at a higher elevation, Ysaid second pillar terminating' short of the upper endroit' the lirst pillar, a link hinged to the upper `end of the second pillar and an adjacent ,portion of the 'first pillar, and a tension spring` connecting` said link with the ifirst pillar `at a point above the yend of the second pillar.

6. In a hood `for vehicles, the `combination with a vehicle body or a pillar hinged to said body, a bow carried by the upper end of said pillar, a second pillar hinged to said body in vadvance of said -li'rst nai'ned pillar and closely adjacent thereto, but at a 'higher elevation, said second pillar termin-ating` short of the upper Iend of the lirst pillar, a link hinged tothe upper end ol vthe second pillar and an adjacent yj )ort-ion ot the- {irsi pillar, an 'intermedia-te' bow pivoted vto said link, a lever pi'vot'edlto said iL-irst pillar-above thepend of the second pillar, and extending in front and rear thereo'land having its v'liront end hinged 'to an intermediate bow, a bow hinged to said inst-pillar anda substantially vertically disposed liiili eolineet-ing the rear end of seid lever with said rear bow supporting arm.

7. ln a hood for a vehicle, the combination et' :i irst piller pivotedat its lower end, :L second pillar located beside said first pillar pivoted at a different level and adapted 'to engage said lirst pillar when the hood is 'ully erected, e link pivoted to both pillars, e bor: carried by said second pillar, a front bowr pivoted to said link, an intermediate bmi' piroted to Suid link, a lerer also pivoted to said intermediate bow :md to Saud second pillar and extended to the rem.' thereof, e

rear bow supporting` the rezu corner of the 15 hood pivoted to Suid second pillar, and a link connecting said rear bow with the rearward extension of said second link.

lil teb'tin'rony whereof we have signed our names to this slieeil'iozrtion.

ARTHUR VlNCENT SMITH. FREDERICK GEORGE WLLAM DUPREE. 

